Bag sizing apparatus and method for coat finisher



United States Patent 3,332,588 7/l967 Blerens Primary Examiner.lordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George V. Larkin Atmrney-Hood, Gust, Irish & Lundy to shape the garment when it is inflated. Biasing means is connected to a portion-of the bag and arranged to pull inwardly thereon and fluid source means, such as a blower, is arranged to provide a first static fluid pressure within the bag effective to expand the bag portion outwardly in opposition to the biasing means. First means is provided and arranged, when actuated, to prevent further outward expansion of the bag portion, and second means is provided for actuating the first means. Preferably, the fluid source means is effective, when actuated to do so, to provide a greater capacity output providing a second and greater static fluid pressure within the bag.

Patenfed Dec. 1, 1970 v 3,543,974

INVENTOR} HARRY D. FORSE- 46 By I wwww ATTORNEYS SUPPLY BAG SIZING APPARATUSAND METHOD FOR COAT F INISHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ing the upper portion of a garment and an inflatable bagfor supporting the lower portion of the garment in drapedrelation to the buck. In such apparatus, wet'vapor, usually inthe form of steam, is injected into the bag and through the walls of the bag to dampen the garment, and then dry vapor is injected into the bag to inflate the bag, thereby to shape and to dry the garment. The dry vapor permeates the-walls of the bag to dry the garment.

2. Description of the Prior Art I It is well known that a garment may beshaped and finished by supporting the garment on an inflatable bag which is first filled with steam and then with dry air. Prior art garment finishing apparatus have utilized such bags for many years. One of the problems with such prior art bagsis'that they will not fit several sizes of garments. When a garment is placed on a bag which can expand to a size greater than the size of the garment, it is possible unduly to stretch the garment by expanding the bag when the garment iszdampened. However, when a garment is placed over a bag'which is too small to cx-. pand uniformly against the garment, portions of the garment will not be properly shaped and finished.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides means for sizing an inflatable bag so that garments of varying. sizes can be-properly shaped and finished on the bag and so that a garment will never be'unduly stretched by expansion of the bag; Thegar ment finishing apparatus of the present invention comprises an inflatable bag and'biasing meansconnected to and pulling inwardly on a portion of the bag, fluid sourcemeans arranged to provide a first static fluid pressure within the'bag which is effective to expand the bag portion outwardly inoppositionto the biasing means, first means arranged, when actuated, to prevent further outward expansion of the bag;v portion, and second means for actuating. the first. means. Preferably, the fluid source means, which may bea two-speed blower means, has a first output capacity condition 'forproviding the first static fluid pressure within the bag and a second'and greater output capacity condition for providing a second and greater static fluid pressure within the. bag. Thus, a garment is placed over the bag and the bagis initially expanded under the'first static fluid pressurev condition outwardly against the garment, then the said first means is actuated to prevent further-outward expansion of the bag portion to which the said biasing means is connected, and then the source means is-operated to provide the second and greaterstatic fluidpressure in the bag;

The apparatus of the present invention, therefore,.provides a two-stage operation for shaping andfini'shing a garment. In the first stage of the operation, the' bag is inflated to expand against the garment. During this first stage, the-portion of the bag to which the biasing means is connected is expanded against the garment in opposition to the biasing means. Then, this portion of the bag is prevented from further expansion against the garment. During the second stage of operation, fluid is delivered to the interior'of the bag ata higher volume rate to provide a greater static fluid pressurewithin the bag. During this second stage of the operation, the fluid, which is preferably dry air, moves through the walls of the bag to dry the garment disposed thereover.

The biasing means is preferably connected to-the portion of the bag which will expand against, forinstance, the waist region of a garment. The first level of static fluid pressure is just sufficient to expand the bag outwardly against this region of the garment and against the urging of the biasing means. When the said first means is actuated toprevent further outward expansion of this bag portion, theincreased static fluid pressure in the bag during the second stage of operation will not expand this portionof the bagfurther against the portion or region of thegarment disposed thereagainst;

The preferred fluid source means includesa motor-driven blower means having afirst output capacity condition and a second and greater output capacity condition. This blower means is preferably arrangedto provide dry air to the interior of the inflatable bag of the-apparatus. It is convenient to provide such a blower'meansincluding a rotatable fan element, a drive motor and selectively variable-speed means drivingly connecting the fan element to the motor. The fan element is operated at a relatively low speed during thefirst stage of operation of the apparatus and at a relatively. higher speed during the second stage of operation of the apparatus.

As stated previously, the. apparatus of thepresent invention includes biasingmeans connected to and pulling inwardly on at least'one portion of the bag. The biasingmeans may include one or more flexible strands, each havingfirst and second ends. The first end of each-strand is connected. to the bag and the second end of each strand is connected to a biasing element, such as a spring or a weighted member. If aweighted member is used, the strand is preferably trained over a support disposed within the bag. The above-said first means for preventing further outward expansion of a portion'of the bag may include, therefore, means for clamping each strand againstmovement by outward expansionof the portion-of the bag to which the strand is connected.

lt-is'an objectof the present invention, therefore, to provide a garment finishing apparatus comprising an inflatable bag and-meansfor semiautomatically adjusting the sizeof the bag to fit a garment which is disposed thereover. ln meeting this object, the apparatus. israrranged so that,.during its first stage of operation, its inflatable bag is expanded to fit a garment plaeedthereover, then the bag isprevented from expanding further at least in critical regions. Then,. during the second stage. of operation, fluid is injected into the bag to move through the walls of the bag to dry the garment. The bagis sized after the firststage so that it will not expand further, at least in-the critical areas, during the secondstage of operation when fluid is forced into the bag at a significantly greater volume rate.

The above-mentioned and other features and objectsofthis invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent andthe invention itself will be best. understood by reference to the. following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa garmentfinishing apparatus of the type with-which the'pres ent invention is concerned; and

FIG. 2 is aperspective view, partially cut away and somewhat diagrammatically illustrated to show the structure of the apparatus-of F IG'. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE' PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that thereis illustrated a garment finishing apparatus 10 of the type with which the present invention is concerned, the apparatus comprising a basecabinet 12, a pair of rigid pipes l4, 16 extending vertically upwardly from the cabinet 12 and a rigid buck 18 supported on the upper ends of the pipes. The buck 18 has an outer surface defining neck and shoulder portions corresponding to thoseof the human body. Conventionally. pipes l4, 16 are connected together by a short length of pipe within the buck 18' (not shown), and steam flow therethrough serves to maintain the buck in a heated condition. A bag 20 is suspended from the buck 18 to hang downwardly therefrom, the lower end of the bag being conventionally open and connected to the cabinet 12 as indicated at 22. Specifically, in a conventional manner, the top surface of the cabinet 12 is provided with a generally circular opening, not shown, having an upturned flange about its periphery and the lower end of the bag is secured to this flange by means of a draw string or the like, also not shown.

Disposed within the cabinet 12 is a blower means 24 arranged to force air upwardly into the interior of the bag 20. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the blower means 24 may comprise a fan element 26 mounted on a shaft 28 which is journal mounted in the cabinet 12 by conventional means, not shown. A drive motor 30 is provided and selectively variable-speed means 32 is provided for drivingly connecting the fan element 26 to the motor 30. In the illustrative embodiment, a conventional V- pulley 34 is mounted on the output shaft of the motor 30 and another conventional V-pulley 36 is mounted on the shaft 28 on which the fan element 26 is mounted. The illustrative variable speed means 32 includes an expansible V-pulley 38, another expansible V-pulley and electrically operated means 42, such as a solenoid, for varying the effective belt radii of the pulleys 38, 40. As is well known, such V-pulleys 38, 40 include a pair of mating and facing coned disks one of which is axially shiftable toward and away from its mating disk The electrically operated means 42 is effective to shift the axially movable disk of each of the pulleys 38, 40. Preferably, when the means 42 is in one state, the movable disk of the pulley 38 is shifted toward its mating disk and the movable disk of the pulley 40 is shifted away from its mating disk and, when the means 42 is in opposite state, the movable disk of the pulley 38 is shifted away from its mating disk and the movable disk of the pulley 40 is shifted toward its mating disk.

A conventional V-belt-38a is trained about the pulleys 34, 38 and another conventional V-belt 40a is trained about the pulleys 36, 40. Thus, it will be appreciated by those familiar with the expansible V-pulley art that, when the means 42 is in one state, operation of the motor 30 drives the fan element 26 at one speed and, when the means 42is in the opposite state, operation of the motor 30 drives the fan element 26 at a different speed. The electrically operated means 42 is energized by a current source placed across illustrated terminals 44, 46 and through a switch means 48. The motor 30 is energized by current flow across the terminals 44, 46 and through switch means 50. Another switch means 52 is illustrated, this switch means being arranged to dominate a solenoid 54 which will be discussed hereinafter. The switch means 48, 50, 52 may be operated by foot pedals identified by corresponding reference numerals in FIG. 1.

The motor 30 is energized by closing the switch means to drive the fan element 26 at a given low speed. The speed of the fan element is then changed to high speed by closing the switch means 48. The blower means 24, thus, has a first output capacity condition corresponding to the lowest speed of the fan element 26 and a second output capacity condition corresponding to the higher speed of the fan element 26. The lower speed of the fan element provides a first static air pressure within the bag 20 and'the higher speed of the fan element provides a second and greater static air pressure within the bag 20. The illustrative blower means 24 is an example of a fluid source means, i.e., means for providing a fluid, such as air, to the interior of the bag 20.

It will be appreciated that a greater volume rate of air is delivered to the bag 20 during the high speed operation of the fan element 26 than is delivered to the bag during the low speed operation of the fan element. The high speed operation ofthe fan element, therefore, provides a higher static air pressure within the bag, tending more rapidly to expand the bag. It will be appreciated that the air provided by the blower means 24 moves through the walls ofthe bag and through the garment disposed about the bag to dry the garment.

In the illustrative embodiment of the apparatus 10, a first group of flexible strands 56 is connected to the portion of the bag 20 which will expand against the waist region of a garment and a second group of strands 58 is connected to the portion of the bag which will expand against the chest region of a garment. Each strand 56, 58 has a first end 60 and a second end 62. The first ends 60 of the strands are connected to the bag 20 at spaced points, as illustrated, and the second end 62 of each strand is connected to a weight or a weighted member 64. Further, each strand 56, 58 is trained over a support within the bag 20 so that its portion adjacent its second end 62 hangs vertically downwardly, the supports being indicated generally by the reference numerals 66, 68, 70, 72.

The weight 64 on each strand 56, 58 constitutes a biasing clement pulling inwardly on the portion ofthe bag 20 to which the first end 60 of the strand is connected. It will be appreciated that while the weights 64 are preferred, other biasing elements, such as springs, may be connected to the second end 62 of each strand to pull inwardly on the portion of the bag to which the first end 60 of the strand is connected.

The force with which each strand 56, 58 will pull inwardly on a portion of the bag 20 is, of course, determined by the weight 64 connected to the strand. Thus, these weights 64 can be selected to provide different biasing forces pulling inwardly on different portions of the bag 20. Assuming a given static fluid pressure within the bag 20, the portions of the bag connected to the strands carrying the lighter weights 64 will expand outwardly faster and to a greater extent than the portions of the bag connected to the strands carrying the heavier weights. In any event, the weights 64 are such that, when the fan element 26 is operated at its lower speed, the portions of the bag 20 to which the strands 56, 58 are connected will expand outwardly in opposition to the pull of the weights to fill a garment disposed about the bag.

In accordance with the present invention, means is provided for clamping each strand 56, 58 against movement by outward expansion of the portion of the bag 20 to which it is connected. Such clamping means, indicated generally by the reference numerals 74, 76 in FIG. 2, will now be discussed. Each clamping means 74, 76 comprises a pair of stationary first clamping members 78, 80 a pair of movable second clamping members 82, 84, and a fluid motor 86, 88. In the illustrative embodiment, each movable clamping member 82, 84 is arranged to move into and out of engagement with the adjacent stationary clamping member.78, 80. As illustrated, each stationary member 78, 80 is slightly inwardly'curved to confine the strands 56, 58 extending thereby and its associated movable member 82, 84 is correspondingly outwardly curved. The strands 58 for the right-hand chest region of the bag 20 extend between the clamping member 78, 82 of the means 76 while the strands 58 for the left-hand chest region 24 the bag 20 extend between the clamping members 80, 84 ofthe means 76. Similarly, the strands 56 for the right-hand waist region of the bag 20 extend between the clamping members 78, 82 of the means 74 while the strands 56 for the left-hand waist region of the bag extend between the clamping members 80, 84 of the means 74.

The movable clamping members 82 are carried by a bar which is mounted for swinging movement about an axis indicated at 92 and the movable clamping members 84 are carried by a bar 94 which is mounted for swinging movement about an axis indicated at 96. Specifically, the two bars 90, 94 are pivotally mounted on a pair of members 98, extending between and connected to the pipes l4, 16. The fluid motors 86, 88 are arranged, when actuated, to swing the bars 90, 94 outwardly to clamp the strands 56, 58. In the illustrative embodiment, each fluid motor 86, 88 is an air cylinder having a piston rod (no reference numeral applied) extending axially out of each of its ends, these piston rods being connected, respectively, to the bars 90, 94. These cylinders 86, 88 preferably include spring means biasing their respective piston rods inwardly.

In FIG. 2, there is illustrated a pressurized air supply 102 which is connected by an air line 104 to each of the cylinders 86, 88. A valve 106 which is opened and closed by the aforementioned solenoid 54 is disposed in the line 104, the valve being connected to the solenoid as indicated at 108. Thus, when the valve 106 is open, air is injected into each cylinder 86, 88 to drive its piston rods outwardly, thereby to operate I the clamping means 74, 76 to clamp the strands, respectively,

56, 58. The clamping means 74, 76. Therefore, therefore, are operated to clamp, respectively, the strands 56, 58 by closing the switch 52 to operate the solenoid 54 to open the valve 106.

It will be appreciated that the fluid motor-operated clamping means 74, 76 are merely illustrative and that other types of clamping means may be used within the scope of the'present invention. For instance, solenoid-operated clamps may be used to clamp the strands 56, 58 against movement. 23

An operator of the apparatus will place a garment, as a suit coat, on the bag 10, draping the garment over the buck 18 in a conventional manner. The operator will then close the switch 50 to energize the motor30 to drive the fan element 26 at its low speed for a predetermined period of time or until the bag 20 has expanded outwardly against the garment. Then, the operator will close theswitch 52 to clamp the strands '56, 58 and then close the switch 48 so that the fan element 26 will be driven at a much higher speed.

It will be appreciated that switches 48, 50 and 52 may be automatically actuated in the proper sequence by a timer which may also control other operations. Thus upon initiation of an automatic cycle by the operator, the'timer may actuate suitable solenoid valves (notshown) to inject steam into the bag 20 and buck 18 for desired time intervals. Upon termination of the application of steam, the timer will then actuate switch 50 to energize the motor 30 which drives blower 26 at low'speed. After elapse of a sufficient time to permit expansion of the bag to fill the garment against the biasing force of weights 64, as above described, the timer actuates switch 52 to actuated clamping cylinders 74, 76; and then actuates switch 48 to energize the two-speed drive 42 thereby to operated blower 26 at high speed. Uponcompletion of the dryingcycle, the timer opens switches 50, 48 and 52 to deenergize the motor, drive 42 and solenoid valve 54.

The bag sizing apparatus of the'invention may be incorporated in garment finishing apparatus of the type illustrated and described in US. Pat. No. 3,477,621 of the present inventOl.

It will further be readilyseen that other-conventional twospeed drive arrangements may be used for providing the low and high speed operation of blower 26. Thus, a two-speed motor may be employed. Alternatively, motor 30 may be mounted on a belt tightener type base with a conventional variable diameter pulley mounted on either the blower 28 or the motor shaft and a single drive belt trained therearound, a suitable fluid cylinder coupled to the motor base selectively shifting the same between first and second positions to provide the low and high speed fan operation.

It will also be seen that thestrand elements 56, 58 may be draw strings partially encircling the bag with their opposite ends thus being ends 62 to which weights 64 are attached.

I claim:

1. A garment finishing apparatus comprising an inflatable bag for supporting a garment, said bag being arranged to be disposed internally of such a garment and to shape such a garment when said bag is inflated, biasing means in said bag and connected to an interior portion thereof for pulling the same inwardly, fluid source means for providing a static fluid'pressure within said bag effectiveto expand said bag portion outwardly in opposition to said biasing means, and-selectively actuable means in said bag and acting on said biasing means for preventing further outward expansion of said hag portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said fluid source means includes second selectively actuable means for providing a second and greater static fluid pressure within said bag after said preventing means is actuated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means includes flexible strand means connected to said bag portion. and in which said preventing means includes means for clamp ing said strand means against movement by outward expansion of said bag portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said fluid source means includes blower means, said second selectively actuahle means providing a first capacity condition for said blower means thereby providing said first-named pressure, and a second and greater capacity condition thereby providing said second pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said blower means includes a rotatable fan element and a drive motor, said second selectively actuable means including selectively variablespeed means for drivingly connecting said fan element to said motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means includes at least one flexible strand having first and second ends. said first end being connected to said bag portion, and a biasing element connected to the second end of said strand.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a support within said bag, in which said one strand is trained over said support so that the portion thereof adjacent its said second end hangs downwardly, and in which said biasing element is a weight connected tosaid second end. 1

8. A garmentfinishing apparatus comprising an inflatable bag for supporting a garment, said bag being arranged to be disposed internally of such a garment and to shape such a garment when said bag is inflated, an element disposed within said bag, said element being connected to said bag, biasing means connected to said element for pulling inwardly on the portion of said bag to which said one end is connected. fluid source means for inflating said bag, said source means having a first capacity condition and a second and greater capacity condition, means for selectively actuating said source 'means between its first and second condition, said source means being effective, when in its first condition, to provide a first static fluid pressure within said bag sufficient to expand said bag portion in opposition to said biasing means and, when inits second condition, to provide a second and greater static fluid pressure within said bag, means for clamping said element against movement by-expansion of said bag portion, and means for operating said clamping means, whereby, after said source means is in its first condition and said bag portion is expanded against an overlying portion of a garment, said element can be clamped'so-that, when said-source means is actuated to its second condition, said bag portion will not be further expanded against such an overlying portion of a garment, said element can be clamped so that, when said source means is actuated to its second condition, said bag portion will not be further expanded against such an overlying garment portion.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 in which said biasing means is a weighted member and in which said element is a flexible strand having opposite ends, one ofsaid ends being connected to said bag portion and the other of said ends being connected to said weighted member.

10. An apparatus as in claim 8 in which said fluid source means includes a two-speed blower means, the lower speed of which provides the first capacity condition and the higher speed of which provides the. second capacity condition.

11. A garment finishing apparatus comprising an inflatable bag for supporting a garment, said bag being arranged to be disposed internally of such a garment and to shape such a garment when said bag is inflated, a plurality of strands disposed within said bag, each of said strands having first and second ends, the first end of each of said strands being connected to a portion of said bag, biasing means connected to the second end of each of said strands for pulling inwardly on said portions of said bag, blower means for inflating said bag, said blower means having a first output capacity condition effective to provide a first static fluid pressure within said bag sufficient to expand said bag portions outwardly in opposition, respectively, to said biasing means and a second and greater output capacity condition effective to provide a second and greater static fluid pressure within said bag, means for selectively actuating said blower means between its condition, means for clamping said strands against movement by outward expansion of the bag portions connected, respectively, to their first ends, and means for operating said clamping means,

7 1 whereby, when said blower means is in its first output condition and said bag portions are expanded outwardly, respectively, against portions of an overlying garment, said strands can be clamped so that, when said blower means is actuated to its second output condition, said bag portions will not be further expanded, respectively, against such garment portions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which each of said biasing means includes a weighted member, each of said strands having a portion adjacent its second end hanging downwardly.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said clamping means includes a first clamp member, a second clamp member, and fluid motor means for moving said second clamp member into and out of engagement with said first clamp member, said strands extending betweensaid clamp members.

'14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said means for operating said clamping means includes electrically operated valve means dominating said fluid motor and switch means dominating said valve means. t

15. The apparatus of claim ll in which said blower means includes a rotatable fan element, and selectively variable speed drive means for driving said'fan element at relatively low and high speeds thereby to provide said first and second capacity conditions.

16. The apparatus of-claim 15 in which said variable speed drive means includes a drive motor, a V-pulley having a pair of mating coned disks one of which is axially shiftable toward and away from its mating disk a belt trained about said V-pulley, and means for axially shifting said one disk to vary the effective radius of said belt on said V-pulley.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said bag is proportioned and arranged to shape the chest and waist regions of a garment. and in which a first'group of said strands is con- 8 nee'ted to the portion of said bag which will expand against the waist region of such a garment,

18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which a second group of said strands is connected to the portion of said bag which will expand against the chest region of such a garment.

19. The method of finishing a garment comprising the steps of placing said garment on an inflatable bag, supplying air to the bag at first volume rate to expand it outwardly, against the garment, preventing further outward expansion of at least one portion of the bag underlying said garment, and then supplying air to the bag at a second and greater volume rate so that the air can move through the walls of the bag to dry said garmcnt.

20. The method of claim 19 in which said first supplying step provides a first static air pressure within the bag and said second-mentioned supplying step provides a second and greater static air pressure within the bag.

' 21. The method of claim 19 in which said preventing step includes physically restraining said one portion of said bag against further outward expansion against said garment.

22. A garment finishing apparatus comprising an inflatable bag for supporting a garment, said bag being arranged to be disposed internally of such a garment and to shape such a garment when said bag is inflated, biasing means connected to and pulling inwardly on a portion of said bag, fluid source means for providing a static fluid pressure within said hag effective to expand said hag portion outwardly in opposition to said biasing means. first means preventing further outward ex- 

